CONSTANCE PROVOST
Former Aylmer mayor dies
Flags were lowered to half-mast at Gatineau City Hall as condolences poured in for the family of Aylmer's well-loved former mayor Constance Provost, who died surrounded by her children on Saturday at age 96.
“Cities are built thanks to people like her: in love with her community and ready to do more than her part to build it,” Gatineau Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin wrote, offering his condolences “on behalf of all Gatineau residents. Merci Madame Provost.”
Aylmer Coun. Audrey Bureau wrote, “She will always be our mayor.”
Provost died from complications related to Alzheimer's at Aylmer's La Renaissance long-term care home. She had just celebrated her 96th birthday in December. She served three terms as Aylmer's mayor from 1983 to 1995.
“She meant a lot to the people of Aylmer,” said her daughter, Danielle. “She was mayor for 12 years and she did a lot for the city, she was very popular. And she was very proud of her city.
“She would always say that slogan, `Aylmer has it all.' She was so proud of her city, she loved saying that.”
Provost served first as town councillor in Aylmer in the late 1970s when she was nominated to fill a vacant council seat.
“Since she was a young girl, her father, my grandfather, Mr. Nelson Morin, he's the one who initiated my mom into politics,” Danielle said. “He loved politics, he would bring her everywhere he would go, always talking politics, and she would listen to every word.”
After winning her council seat in the 1979 municipal election, Provost organized her 1983 mayoral bid with the help of two of her daughters.
“Her first election as mayor was wild. We were so proud of her, the joy,” Danielle recalled. “That first election, she was running against a few candidates, and she was the only woman, of course. We were so proud of her just for that.
“And then when she won, everybody was so happy for her. ”
Politics was a second career for Provost, and she dove in headlong following the death of her husband, Jean, in 1979.
“She was always very independent, very generous, she's always been a `people person.' She feeds off their energy, she loves people, she loves to talk to them, and that gave her the energy to live,” Danielle said. “Her personality didn't change after her husband died, she's always been like that.”
While still in her 20s, Provost worked as an assistant air traffic controller at Dorval airport; then, after moving to Ottawa, she worked for the Transport Ministry at CFB Uplands from 1945 to 1949.
“There were not many women in those positions in those days,” Danielle recalled.
“She did a lot during her 12 years as mayor, but she wasn't the only one who did it, she had a lot of help and support.”
She listed the revitalization of downtown, a new arena and low-income housing projects as Provost's proudest accomplishments.